Inside the Jockeys’ Room with Chantal Sutherland-Kruse
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Photo courtesy of BetAmerica
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens and Chantal Sutherland-Kruse, a two-time Sovereign Award winner in her native Canada, take America's Best Racing's readers inside the jockeys' room in 2014. Stevens and Sutherland-Kruse will provide answers to all sorts of questions such as how jockeys get paid, what goes on between races, whom they admire and what type of music and fashion style they favor.
In this edition of Inside the Jockeys' Room we learn a little more about how Sutherland-Kruse became a jockey and she also tells us the best advice she's ever received.
Can you explain the role of a jockey agent, how it is determined which mounts you get and how far in advance are they typically planned out?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: The role of a jockey agent is to market you, the jockey, in all your awesomeness to the trainers. There is a lot of brown-nosing and all that nonsense, and that is what they must do. They study races and pick on the mistakes of other jocks and befriend trainers and listen to the trainer’s grief and then go play golf. Otherwise, a trainer will give them a call on a horse and they will enter it into their condition book. The condition book is just that, a code of conditions which horses qualify for in a particular race. Once you are given a call, then it’s yours unless you get spun or your agent spins a trainer. Then, cursing may occur and or a jock loses a mount or inherits a better mount or is suspended “hypothetically from a trainer” for as long as that trainer feels necessary. They have an interesting and awful job that pays extremely well or clearly not enough, all in my opinion, of course.
Chantal Celebrates Big Win aboard Game On Dude
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
How are jockeys paid? Do you get paid the same day as the race? Who pays you – the track or owner?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: Lastly about money, which my mother always told me never to discuss. Jockeys receive their checks and or money from the particular racetrack that they race at. A bookkeeper releases these funds from a purse account that all trainers and owners are part of. The track controls the money and licensing, it’s all very governed and calculated.
What’s the best horse you’ve ever ridden and what made him/her special?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: The most success that I have had on a horse would be Game On Dude. The fastest horse that I have ever ridden would probably be Essence Hit Man. Two horses that were special horses that I loved to ride were Sugar Bay and Mine That Bird. All of these horses share the same quality of kindness, tenacity, determination and a real understanding of competition and winning.
What’s the one horse you didn’t ride but wish you had the opportunity to have ridden?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: The horse that got away was Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby. We were given the call to ride him in the Derby and an opportunity to work him in Kentucky before the race. At the time, I was scheduled for a big weekend in Canada, riding 13 mounts on the card each day. So, my agent and I opted to stay in Canada and have someone else work him, and we would just ride him in the race. Well that proved to hurt us as Calvin Borel worked him and that rest is history.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Chantal at the Racetrack
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: My idea of perfect happiness is winning the lottery, sailing away on a mega yacht with my health and sipping a glass of champagne with a big floppy hat and oversized sunglasses, my husband and my dogs, with their doggles (doggy sunglasses), somewhere in Monaco.
If you could compete in any Olympic Sport, what would be your sport?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: Downhill skiing.
What are you reading now (book, magazine, etc.)? Would you recommend it?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: Right now, I am reading “Divergent,” by Veronica Roth, and I would recommend it.
Name five things you cannot live without:
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: Five things that I cannot live without would be:
1. Love and support from my husband, family and friends.
2. My dogs and horses … all animals, actually.
3. Laughing
4. Hugs
5. Water and food
What are your five all-time favorite movies?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: “Captain Phillips,” “Titanic,” “Rocky,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “Twilight” series.
What website do you visit first in the morning upon turning on your computer, phone, other device?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: Caldrea
What is your dream vacation?
SUTHERLAND-KRUSE: Dream vacation is that mega yacht in Monaco!! Don’t forget the floppy hat and champagne and a handful of my best friends, dogs and husband, of course.